Papaoutai
by Furious Pines
Summary: One-shot. Adrien wants to have a functioning relationship with his father, but how can you interact with someone whose never around? Alternative Summary: A story about Adrien's past and present family life. Content Warning: Blisters, Frostbite, and Hospitals.


Have google translate at the ready, or be a native french speaking. Or just listen to the song Papaoutai with English subtitles, as most all french dialogue here is a direct quote to it. This is an experiment. I do not plan on continuing this, thus it is a ONE-SHOT. Enjoy.

* * *

Adrien carefully steps out of the car, Gorilla grunting as he shut the door and drove away to park. He looks up to the mansion he calls home. He walks in, shivering not only at the temperature of the house, but how cold it was figuratively. No one at the front steps to greet him, unlike the majority of warm greetings his classmates get when they return home, or at least the ones he's hung out with. He walks up the large staircase and into the nearby hall.

"Outai papa?" Adrien calls out to the empty hallway.

Adrien knows he won't get an answer. He never does. The simple fact is that his Père is never around. Adrien has always wanted to have functioning relationship with his Père, but how can you interact with someone who's never around? It's either he's working, his Père is working, or one of them is on some trip. That's not even including the time he spends as Chat Noir. Adrien knows he has great friends, Marinette is sweet and sneaks him snacks from the bakery, Alya is always ready to protect him, although he wishes she was a little less aggressive about it, and Nino is always great at comforting him after a particularly nasty akuma, or when his Père blows him off.

He hates it when Père does that. Adrien acknowledges the fact that his Père is a busy person, but shouldn't he have at least one day to spend with his son? As far as Adrien has remembered, his Père has never once taken a sick day, or vacation for that matter. Not even the day Maman disappeared. His was like this before she left, but after her disappearance he's only gotten worse. He feels like he lost his Papa along with his Maman. Adrien walks down the large, empty hallway, taking out his phone as he does so. He stares vacantly at his background, being a picture of him and Maman. He taps Photos, scrolling along the pictures. He taps on a long-forgotten picture of all three of them relaxing in the garden, smiling at the camera. They had taken it only two months ago, yet it felt as if years had passed since then.

Adrien traces over them with his fingers. He proceeds to set it as his new background, hoping he wouldn't forget his smile or his maman's. He walks down the hall, his walk a little faster as he carefully places his phone back in his pocket. He smiles to himself, a sad, lonely smile. His Père was probably in his office, working on some new design. Adrien knows he shouldn't disturb him, but he felt so alone. He shivered, wondering who would set the AC _this high._

"Dis-moi où es-tu caché?" (Where are you hiding?)

Adrien stops outside his Père's office. He remembers the akuma, Jacques à Dit. He shivers, willing back the urge to vomit knowing how close his Papa came to… To killing himself! If he had just _listened to Ladybug_ he would have been fine! And yet, even after such a horrifying experience, did he stop working? No! He just kept going! Like some malheureux _machine!_ Adrien knows it's selfish, but couldn't his Père have at least stopped for him…? Adrien was sobbing into his arm at one point, yet he doesn't stop! He takes a deep, shaky breath, steadying himself before entering the room.

"Père?"

His Père wasn't there. Wait, but he didn't say anything about a trip, he should be here, why isn't he _here_?! He might go on trips often, but Nathalie _always_ tells him beforehand! He breathes, fast and hard, breath fogging in front of him.

"Outai Papa?" Adrien near yells, his panicked voice going up an octave.

What if it was another akuma? That would explain the ridiculous temperature. His Papa would never purposefully antagonize someone, but he is harsh, which could be _just enough_ to push someone off the edge. He could be injured, alone, _no one able to hear him-_

"Papa?!" Adrien yells, racing down the halls.

He knows he should go get Plagg, but all that was on his panicked mind was Papa, where is Papa, is he hurt, _where is he?! He takes his phone out of his pocket, phoning Nathalie._ Not once, not twice, _but three times she didn't pick up, she ALWAYS picks up!_ Adrien clicks on his Papa's contact, smashing the call button full force, almost dropping it.

Ring

Ring

Ring-

"Bonsoir?" His Père's cold voice says, questioning.

"Papa, it- it's freezing, and _I can't find you_ -"

"Adrien, se calmer."

"Je suis effrayé, I _couldn't find you_ and it's just _so cold…"_

"Greetings Adrien," A frosty voice echoes throughout the mansion.

Adrien hears a faint hiss come from the phone, but he isn't paying attention. He slowly lowers the forgotten phone, dropping it as his hand comes to hang limp at his side. He gazes up, seeing a tall, pale woman. If Snow White was white as snow, then this woman took it to a whole other level. Her long white hair hung straight down from her head, an elegant crown of crystal ice sitting upon her head. The woman had a dress decorated with a snowflake pattern, large white fur layering the top.

"You- You're an akuma."

"Non my child, J'appelle la White Witch," Her voice soft and comforting, "I've seen how… Cold your Père treats you."

Adrien knows he should run, try to escape the akuma before he freezes to death, but… She seemed so comforting. He just wanted to feel loved. Why would he try to leave such a nice woman…? Adrien stepped closer, eyes glazing over, as if ice freezing over a lake in winter. Frost crawled up his legs the closer he walked to her, but he didn't mind. He was… So tired… He fell, legs too frozen to move any farther, but luckily the kind woman caught him. She lifted him up with ease, holding him bridal style. She held him close to her, placing her forehead on Adrien's.

Suddenly a hand clasped around her necklace, wrenching it from her neck. The necklace broke easily, causing the woman- Akuma to shriek in pure agony, collapsing to its knees. He looked up to see his Papa snatch the akuma out of the air, crushing it. He dropped the dead insect to the ground, quickly placing his full attention on Adrien.

"Papa…" His breath fogging in front of his face, shivering from the frost covering the majority of his body.

"Adrien, _dieu merci_ , you're all right," His Papa whispered, tears streaming down his face.

"I'm… So tired Papa…" Adrien mumbled, limp in his Papa's arms.

"Adrien, don't fall asleep yet, the paramedics are almost here, just wait one more minute, _s'il te plait,_ " His Papa pleaded.

"I can't… M'so tired…" Adrien murmured, eyes drooping shut.

He finally stopped shivering, although he heard his health tutor saying that was a bad thing… Or was it good? He was so confused and tired… He let his breathing slow.

"Adrien, _don't leave me_ , you're all I have _left_ , _Adrien please open your eyes!"_

Adrien slept.

He dreamt of his Maman burning another batch of cookies, laughing at how exasperated Papa was to hear the smoke alarm go off for the third time in a week. Adrien laughed so hard that he had accidently snorted up some of the batter that covered his face, grimacing and sneezing at least five times before it had all left his nostrils, which had sent both his Maman and Papa into a full-blown laughing fit, his Maman snorting after a minute of doing so. His Papa had always said he had his Maman's laugh.

Adrien opened his eyes to a crisp white hospital room. There had to be at least five heaters in the room, all pointed to him at full blast. He could feel blisters covering his legs, hands, and cheeks. He couldn't feel the very tips of his toes, the lack of feeling not even reaching his toe nails. Adrien felt thankful it hadn't spread any farther than that, otherwise his fingers would be irreparably disfigured. Making sure to be careful of his _really painful_ blisters, he turned his head to the side, seeing his Père sleeping in a chair, head lying on the edge of his bed. Having been the afternoon before the akuma, he could safely assume he had been asleep for at least a day, seeing the sun rising from a nearby window.

Today was a work day for Père, so he must have taken a day off to be here. Adrien's heart did a little leap for joy.

"Je t'ai trouvé, Papa."

* * *

The reason I have a comma after trouvé is because without it, it changes papa from dad to daddy and I thought having a 14-year-old say that was a bit weird. Unless you're Chloe Bourgeois I guess.


End file.
